Potato cutting and sorting machine



Aug. 12,1941. A. LA'RSEN 2,252,265

' v POTATO CUTTING AND'SORTING MACHINE Filed NOV. 22, 1940 3 Sheets-Shet l ,3 Inventor r" By Jllorney Aug. 12, 1941. LARSEN 2,252,265

POTATO CUTTING AND SOR'I'ING: MACHINE Filed Nov. 22, 1940 v I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1n ventor 4/667 7 Z arse)? A iiorneu Aug. 12, 1941. A. LARSEN POTATO CUTTING AND SORTING MACHINE" Filed Nov. 22, 1 940 7 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I: W Mm 4 am A I z z n 7 3 i H o W I 1 I u 1 o 7 9 a J fl 4.. oo 7 A iiorney Patented Aug. 12, 1941 POTATO CUTTING AND SORTINGMACHINE Albert Larsen, Stetsonv ille,Wis., assignor ofonefourth to E. J. Becker and LW. M. -Vercks, both of Stetsonville, Wis.

Application November 22, 1940, Serial No. 366,746

(o1.,.14s- 1c9) 3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for cutting and sorting seed potatoes and the like.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a simply constructed machine of few parts and of duplex type equipped for use by two operatives to quickly and easily cut a large quantity of seed potatoes and sort the same, and

which is inexpensive to manufacture and service.

To the accomplishment of the above, and

subordinate objects presently appearing, a preferred embodiment of my invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, set forth in detail in the succeeding description, and defined in the claims appended hereto.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a View in top plan of the preferred "embodiment of my invention,

1 flector blades.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the

illustrated embodiment of my invention includes a base structure of table form having an elongated, rectangular top 2, corner legs 3, and a top supporting frame comprising a pair of side boards 4 and a pair of end boards 5.

A suitably smaller, rectangular, seed supply hopperli is centered on the top 2 with the sides 1 thereof parallel with and spaced from the sides of' the top "2 and'its ends 8 further spaced from the ends of said top. The sides 1 of the hopper Sarise edgewise' from the top 2 and are suitably --secured=to cleats 9 extending along said top and fixedthereto in any desired manner. The ends 8 of the hopper 6 also arise edgewise from the top '2 and are provided with elongated rectangular discharge apertures l extending along the lower edges thereof. A pair of rectangular,

closure panels -I l' are provided on the outerfaces of' the ends "8 of said hopper 6 for closing the apertures It. "The closure panels H are vertically slidable in end guides l2 on said ends 8 into openingand closing positions, respectively.

.Any suitable means, not shown, may be provided for holding the panels II in elevated, open position; The bottom i3 01 the hopper 6 slants downwardly from the transverse center of the hopper tothe top 2 from opposite sides of said center, respectively, to the bottom edges of the ends 8 of the hopper.

'Apair of square openings I4, relatively smaller than the hopper 6 are provided in the longitudinal center of the top 2 beneath the opposite ends B of the hopper, said openings forming drops for the cut potatoes as will presently more clearly appear. A rectangular, skirt-like guard I5 is suitably secured to the under side of the top 2 in the longitudinal center thereof, and with the opposite ends of which the openings M- communicate.

A potato guide It, in the form of an inverted V trough, surmounts the top 2 and extends lengthwise through the bottom of the hopper 6 in the longitudinal center thereof and of said top, said guide having reduced ends I! extending out of the apertures Ill and spanning the openings I4,respectively, with edges bevelled to the top 2 and terminating in line with the outer side edges of said openings.

A pair'of elbow type cutting bars l8 are provided in the longitudinal centerof the top 2, at opposite'ends 8 of said hopper 6, said'bars being centered relative to the openings I4, respectively,

and including upstanding cutting portions l9 arising from the outer end edges of said openings, and horizonal portions suitably secured to the ends of the hopper 6 above the discharge apertures I0.

Meansjare provided for feeding the potatoes against the cutting portions IQ of the cutting bars-l8 as follows. A pair of elongated pusher blocksll are provided at opposite ends of the top 2, respectively, in advance of the cutting portions IQ of said bars 18, and which are mounted on said top for endwise reciprocation in the longitudinal center of the top toward and from sa-idportions l9 by means of a pair of posts 22 depending from said blocks, respectively, through guide slots 23 in the top 2, said posts being suitably secured to the blocks as by screws 24. The

'innerendsof the pusher blocks 2| have suitably secured thereon resilient hoods 25 for spanning potatoes to'fbe'fed to the cutting portions I9.

Operating means for the pusher blocks 2! are provided "comprising a pair of rectangular foot pedals 26'at one side of the base arranged in end to end, opposed relation upon opposite sides of the transverse center of the base to slant downwardly from saidcenter, said pedals having outer ends hinged, as at 27, to lateral extensions 28 "of a beam 29 extending along said side of the base and suitably securedto the lower ends of the legs 3 on said side. A pair of operating rock shafts 30 are journalled in the lower edges of the side boards 4 to extend transversely of the base on the opposite sides of the transverse center of the base, closely adjacent thereto, said shafts having end cranks 3i on the same side of the base as the pedals Z6 and which extend toward said center. A pair of upstanding pull bars 32 hinged, as at 33,'to the inner ends of the pedals 26, respectively, and pivoted to the cranks 3|, respectively, as at 34, operatively connect said pedals to said shafts. The operating shafts 30 are connected to the pusher blocks 2|. For this purpose each shaft 30 is provided with a pair of cranks 35 fast thereon upon opposite sides of the guard I5, respectively and each post 22 has fast on the bottom thereof a transverse bar 36 which slides against the bottom of the top 2 and acts as a keeper retaining the related pusher block 2I fiat on the top 2, Pairs of connecting rods 31. extend between the cranks 35 of the shafts 30 and the ends of the bars 36, said rods being pivoted to said cranks 35, as at 38, and hinged to the bars 35, as at 39. A coil spring 40 secured at its ends to arms 4! depending from the operating shafts 30 urges said shafts in a direction such that the posts 22 of pusher blocks 2| are held against the outer ends of the slots 23 by means of the cranks 35, connecting bars 31, and bars 36, whereby the normal position of said blocks is established, together with that of the described operating means, and whereby said shafts 30 are tensioned against operation in the Beneath the top 2 of the base, a series of suit- I able open top receptacles 42 are mounted in any suitable manner for removal and replacement from the side of the base opposite that on which the pedals 26 are mounted. Preferably one receptacle 42 is provided in the center of said base and a pair upon opposite sides of the center one and beneath the openings I4. End bails 43 on the receptacles 42 provide for easily replacing and removing the same.

Pivoted, as at 44, in the guard l5, adjacent opposite ends thereof and below the Openings I4 is a pair of upstanding deflector blades 45 having upper edges extending upwardly through said openings, said blades being swingable about axes transverse to the top 2 into oppositely inclined positions in which said blades engage the outer and inner end edges of the openings I4 to deflect the cut potatoes into either the side receptacles 42 or into the center one, as desired. A coil spring 48 secured to cranks on the blades 45 yieldingly holds the blades 45 inclined against the inner edges of the openings I4 whereby the cut potatoes are normally deflected into the side receptacles 42. Pull rods 46 pivoted, as at 41, to the blades 45 and slidably extended upwardly through the top 2 by way of openings 43 in the .latter, provide for manipulating said deflector blades in opposition to the spring 48 to incline the same against the outer ends of the openings I4 so that the cut potatoes may be deflected into the center receptacle 42. The parts 50 are cleats forming bearing strips for the operating shafts 33 and which need merely be identified in passing.

The operation of the invention will be readily understood. The potatoes are deposited in the hopper 6 for gravity feed down the bottom thereof out of the discharge apertures I0 onto the top 2 at opposite ends of the latter, the potatoes being deflected from the openings M by the ends I of the guide It. A pair of operatives stationed at opposite ends of the top 2 may then select the potatoes from said top and place the selected ones in front of the pusher blocks 2I to be fed against the cutting portions I9 of cutting bars I8. By depression of the appropriate pedal 25 the operators may then effect reciprocation of the pusher blocks 2| in opposition to the spring 40 to feed the selected potatoes against said portions l9 and effect selective cutting of the same. The manner in which depression of the pedals 26 effects operation of the pusher blocks 2! from their normal position toward said cutting portions 19 will be manifest from the foregoing description of the operating mechanism. The cut potatoes, or the cuttings, fall through the openings I4 and into the side receptacles 42 or into the center one, according to the position in which the deflector blades 45 have been swung in the manner already described.

The foregoing will, it is believed, sufiice to impart a clear understanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed as new is- 1. Apparatus for cutting and sorting potatoes comprising a base including an elevated top of elongated rectangular form having a pair of discharge drops therein in the longitudinal center thereof and upon opposite sides of the transverse center of the top, a gravity feed supply hopper on said top having a pair of end discharge apertures therein extending beyond opposite sides of said drops, to provide for discharge of potatoes from the hopper onto said top upon opposite sides of said drops, a bottom in said hopper inclining oppositely from the cent-er of the hopper to said apertures, respectively, a pair of cutter bars in advance of said drops, respectively, having upstanding cutting portions in the longitudinal center of the top adjacent the drops, means at opposite ends of said top for feeding potatoes against said cutting portions and over said drops for cutting the same into sections to fall through the drops, a plurality of storage receptacles beneath said top, and manipulative means for deflecting the sections from said openings into selected receptacles.

2. Apparatus for cutting and sorting potatoes comprising a base including an elevated top of elongated rectangular form having a pair of discharge drops therein in the longitudinal center thereof and upon opposite sides of the transverse center of the top, a gravity feed supply hopper on said top having a pair of end discharge apertures therein extending beyond opposite sides of said drops, to provide for discharge of potatoes from the hopper onto said top upon opposite sides of said drops, a bottom in said hopper inclining oppositely from the center of the hopper to said apertures, respectively, a pair of cutter bars in advance of said drops having upstanding cutting portions in the lingitudinal center of the top adjacent the drops, means at opposite ends of said top for feeding potatoes against said cutting portions and over said drops for cutting the same into sections to fall through the drops, a plurality of storage receptacles beneath said top, and manipulative means for deflecting the sections from said openings into selected receptaoles, the first mentioned means comprising a pair of pusher blocks slidable on said top, and a pair of foot pedals operative from opposite ends of the top and operatively connected to said blocks, respectively.

3. Apparatus for cutting and sorting potatoes comprising a base including an elevated top of elongated rectangular form having a pair of discharge drops therein in the longitudinal center thereof and upon opposite sides of the transverse center of the top, a gravity feed supply hopper on said top having a pair of end discharge apertures therein extending beyond opposite sides of said drops to provide for discharge of potatoes from the hopper onto said top upon opposite sides of said drops, a bottom in said hopper inclining oppositely from the center of the hopper to said apertures, respectively, a pair of cutter bars in advance of said drops, respectively, having upstanding cutting portions in the longitudinal center of the top adjacent the drops, means at opposite ends of said top for feeding potatoes against said cutting portions and over said drops for cutting the same into sections to fall through the drops, a plurality of storage receptacles beneath said top, and manipulative means for deflecting the sections from said openings into selected receptacles, the second mentioned means comprising a pair of deflector blades pivotally mounted in said drops for swinging movement, and manipulative means for swinging said blades from opposite ends of said top.

ALBERT LARSEN. 

